In the Driveway
  • IN THE GARAGE
  • GALLERY
  • CONTENT LICENSING/PR
  • PORTFOLIO
  • CONTACT

The Good, Bad, Ugly:  A Sampling of Recent New Car Drives

5/22/2017

 
PictureLC500h, star of the day (Credit: Lexus)
We recently had a chance to head up to New York’s Bear Mountain State Park to join other auto journalists for a day of driving the latest and greatest from the car manufacturers.  (It’s a tough job, but someone’s got to do it.)

While these aren’t full-blown tests, the short drives do give us a chance to get a feel for the newest cars and the progress (or lack thereof) we see from the automakers.  Imagine it like a visit to an ice cream shop, where you get a big dollop of each of the newest flavors.  In some cases, you’ll want to come back for more.  In other cases?  Not so much.

Here are the flavors we sampled:


BMW 430i convertible – Combine sloppy steering, a chassis that feels loosely bolted to the body and a sticker price well north of $50K, and you get the feeling that the vaunted and much-admired BMW has lost its way.  And we’re not alone.  On these past drives, our fellow auto writers would often let the Japanese brands sit on the lot while they jostled to drive the Bimmers.  But now that Lexus and Infiniti have gained some German-style soul, the tables are turned. 

Cadillac CTS Vsport – This was one of many drives we’ve had in Cadillac’s V-cars, both on street and track, and it was still sublime.  At $75K well-equipped, the 420-horsepower Vsport is the one to go for if the CTS-V’s 650 Corvette horses are too much for you.  Attention, Mercedes and BMW loyalists!  Break from the crowd and take any of the V Caddies for a test drive.  You’ll thank us.

Dodge Challenger GT AWD -- The Hellcat and the other Hemi Challengers make us feel 18 again.  This one makes us feel retired.  Oh, it’s a nice car alright.  But it drives like a Buick LaCrosse in a muscle car costume.  If you want an AWD car, get a Subaru.  If you want a muscle car, buy a real one.

Genesis G90 -- Genesis is clearly nipping at the heels of the German and Japanese luxury marques, but they still have a way to go.  This big sedan gives you all of the interior amenities you could want, as well as a nice stance.  But the floaty ride reminds us of granddad’s Electra 225.  The folks who build Mercedes’ S-class don’t have much to worry about . . . yet.

Honda Clarity Fuel Cell – After a hot, noisy day of driving, this hushed, well-appointed hydrogen-powered sedan was a delight.  We would lease one (it’s lease-only for now) if only we could find enough hydrogen stations and if the fuel cell economic proposition would work for daily drivers (it doesn’t yet).  We had a similar plus/minus experience last year in Toyota’s Mirai.

Infiniti Q60 Red Sport AWD – This stunning coupe delivers more-than-ample luxury, not to mention solid power and sports-car handling.   And you can drive it in the snow to boot.  Both Infiniti and Lexus have finally found the way to dial some Teutonic goodness into their chassis.  The writers are beginning to notice and they kept this car on the road for most of the day.

Jaguar F Type SVR roadster – Oh, yeah, baby!  What else can you say?  You’re driving a 575-horsepower, all-wheel-drive roadster through the twisties on a gloriously warm day in the forest.  While we love the Corvette and consider it a bargain, think about this Jag as a significant step up if you can stretch to the $128,800 base price.  Believe us.  It’s worth the difference.

Land Rover Discovery – Land Rover has done a great job with its downscale lineup and the Discovery is no exception. We loved the torque of the 340-horsepower V-6 and the decent handling (except for the body roll) of this large SUV.  We also liked the exceptional fit and finish of the interior.  It was a typical Land Rover job well-done.

Lexus LC500h – Watch out, BMW i8.  Lexus is delivering a hybrid sport coupe that looks and drives as well or better for a sticker price that’s about $40,000 less.  In terms of design, execution and feeling, this was the star of the day and the waiting list was long.  The 354 horses tied to two transmissions made us feel like we had more than 500. This is a fantastic alternative if you can forgo the i8’s scissor doors and sales exclusivity.  You will definitely stand out in the country club parking lot with this new Lexus and you'll do so with a green conscience.

Mazda CX-5 --  Mazda's luxurious mid-sized crossover sends a strong message to the luxury brands:  you don't need a three-pointed star on the hood or a $40,000-plus price tag to get a sumptuous interior and solid ride.  We've driven the similar Mercedes crossovers, for example, and we see no reason to go upscale when you can get the high-value Mazda for the mid-30s or less.  This ride is a good example of the narrowing technology between the mainstream and luxury brands.

Mazda Miata RF – As with the regular convertible, this targa version was still a whole barrel of fun.  Great engine. Great manual transmission.  Wonderful handling.  A cockpit that fit like a glove.  Unfortunately, the solid top also delivers a whole barrel of wind noise.  We don’t see its benefit.  Put us down for the standard soft-top roadster, which looks just as good and is a little easier on the wallet.

MINI Clubman John Cooper Works All4 manual – You never leave a MINI without a smile on your face.  And this Clubman was no exception.  We love the way it scats around the corners with a blaaat of exhaust as you hit the pedal.  And we love the usual excellent interior execution.  Unfortunately, the $35,000+ price tag takes a little bloom off the rose.

Subaru Impreza – We were impressed with the way Subaru has moved its compact model upscale.  Handling was tight and the interior was whisper quiet on the Limited 5-door we drove.  There are touches of luxury throughout the interior.  This was no economy car.  Unfortunately, someone at Subaru decided to replace the formerly comfortable seats with something that resembled a plywood bench.  These new seats would be a deal-killer for us.

Volkswagen Golf Alltrack – Speaking of Subaru, VW has set its sights on the Outback with this new all-wheel-drive wagon.  The interior has plenty of luxury, the drive is definitely Germanic and the engine offers good power.  It’s a really nice ride, if a little pricey.  But it’s gonna take an awful lot of lovin’ to pull people out of their Subarus.  And the VW diesel scandal doesn’t help.M

Top 15 Car Brands with the Best Tech Features

2/1/2016

 
By Sean Jackson, AxleGeeks
Buick

As the access for mobile technology continues to rise in demand, car manufacturers are eager to meet this need. Now, it's common to see even the basic models come with an array of tech offerings, like Bluetooth capability. All told, many companies have gone even further to provide vehicles with mobile command centers where you can do everything from answering calls to accessing traffic and navigation information through voice command or by the push of a button.

One of the best ways to view the tech feature landscape is to examine it at the brand-level, where you can compare how a manufacturer’s offerings relate to others in its class. To assist you in this regard, AxleGeeks examined the tech offerings of each brand to identity the ones that offer more tech features across the board.

Furthermore, AxleGeeks developed a Smart Rating for each brand based on data compiled from many sources including the American Customer Satisfaction Index Score, the JD Power APEAL Study, the KBB Resale Value Award and the JD Power Initial Quality Study.

From these results, here’s a look at the car brands with the best tech offerings.

#15. Volkswagen

Volkswagen is a brand known for its quality in safety performance and fuel efficiency, but it offers a fair number of tech offerings as well. It equips 19.2 percent of its models with blind-spot monitoring whereas the average German brand offers this feature in 13.3 percent of its lineup.

#14. Lexus

This luxury Japanese brand offers a wealth of impressive tech offerings that work to make your drives safer. It equips more of its vehicles with a heads-up display (7.5 percent) than other Japanese luxury brands average (4.7 percent).

#13. Chevrolet

Chevy received a better Smart Rating — at 87 — than some of its American competitors, like Ford, which earned an 82 rating. Part of the reason for this is Chevy's abundance of features.

As an illustration, 27.5 percent of its models come equipped with the lane-departure warning feature, topping the average of 24.5 percent per lineup for non-luxury American brands.

#12. Cadillac

The American luxury manufacturer scores well in quality across the board by housing more tech equipment in its vehicles. One feature where it has a sizable advantage on its competition is in heads-up display capability, where it equips 10.5 percent of its models with this feature. In comparison, the average percentage per lineup for all American luxury brands is 6.1 percent.

#11. Audi

Audi is a brand known for its quality design and excellent safety offerings. At the same time, this luxury manufacturer doesn’t disappoint in its tech offerings either, as 40.4 percent of its vehicles come with a navigation system. Meanwhile, the average per lineup for all German luxury brands that is 33.6 percent for navigation.

#10. Toyota

A bit of a mixed bag, 30 percent of Toyota's vehicles come with Bluetooth capability, which is significantly less than the average for non-luxury Japanese brands, who equip 56 percent of their models with this feature.

At the same time, Toyota equips more of its vehicles with heads-up display (2.5 percent) than its non-luxury Japanese counterparts average (0.7 percent).

#9. Kia

This Korean manufacturer is generous with the amount of tech equipment it offers across its lineup. Kia equips 61.9 percent of its models with a navigation system, while its non-luxury competitors average 52.9 percent per lineup, allowing Kia to hold a slight edge in this regard.

#8. Scion

Part of Scion’s allure are its contemporary designs and ample tech offerings. As an example, 87.5 percent of Scion’s vehicles come with Bluetooth capability. Meanwhile, the average for all Japanese non-luxury brand lineups is 56 percent.

#7. Lincoln

Lincoln does a good job topping its American luxury brand counterparts in basic tech offerings like navigation systems offered per model. It equips 33.3 percent of its models with this feature, earning it an advantage over its competitors of 6 percent.

#6. Volvo

Volvo is an outstanding brand across the board; it’s no wonder why it earned a Smart Rating of 94. Aiding it are outstanding tech features offered throughout its lineup. It equips 50 percent of its models with blind-spot monitoring, whereas the average for all luxury brands is merely 16.9 percent.

#5. Hyundai

This Korean manufacturer scores well because of the wealth of tech offerings it has across its vehicle lineup. It equips 46.4 percent of its vehicles with Bluetooth capability, giving it a slight edge over other Korean non-luxury brands, where the average per lineup is 44.9 percent.

#4. Infiniti

Infiniti is an established brand known for its luxurious styling and exceptional tech features. As part of this, 61.5 percent of its models come equipped with a navigation system, earning it a huge advantage over its Japanese luxury brand counterparts, who average 32.8 percent for this feature.

#3. Mazda

Mazda continues to be a higher quality non-luxury brand because it offers exceptional performance, safety and tech features. For example, 50 percent of its models come with lane-departure warning whereas 20.1 percent do among Japanese non-luxury brands.

#2. Acura

Acura is among the highest rated luxury brands available due to its unrivaled safety performance and tech features. As an illustration of its quality offerings, every model in its lineup earned awards from Motor Trend Magazine in 2015.

#1. Buick

This American non-luxury brand has upped its game big time. Along with a fresh look across its vehicle lineup, it also houses some great tech features to appeal to the younger buyer. It equips 8.3 percent of its models with a heads-up display. In comparison, other American non-luxury brands equip only 2.5 percent of their models with this feature.

Compare Car Brands on AxleGeeks

The 15 Safest Car Brands You Can Buy Today

1/15/2016

 
car safety

A car's safety equipment and crash-test performance can play a pivotal role in shaping your buying decision; this is why finding the safest brands can aid you in selecting a vehicle that gives you peace of mind.

To find the safest car brands, AxleGeeks took into account the percentage of 2015-2016 vehicles per brand that earned a five-star overall rating with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Moreover, we also looked at the ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), which assigns top safety pick ratings to vehicles that display high levels of protection and offer crash-prevention technology. Lastly, we compared different safety offerings each manufacturer equips its models with to identify which brands offer the most safety features across their vehicle lineups.

Based on the compiled information, here are the 15 safest car brands.

#15. Volkswagen

The German manufacturer made the list because 15.4 percent of its vehicles earned a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA, giving it a slight edge over other German non-luxury brands.

However, Volkswagen equips only 3.8 percent of its models with adaptive cruise control, resulting in a significant disadvantage when compared to all German brands — where 33.8 percent of vehicles come with this safety feature.

#14. Infiniti

Similar to Volkswagen, 15.4 percent of Infiniti’s lineup earned an overall five-star NHTSA safety rating. Unlike Volkswagen, Infiniti also earned the IIHSA Top Safety Pick+ on 15.4 percent of its lineup, providing it with a substantial edge on all Japanese luxury brands.

Infiniti also equips more of its vehicles with adaptive cruise control (53.8 percent) than its luxury counterparts average (33.2 percent).

#13. Toyota

Over 17 percent of Toyota’s vehicles earned a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA, allowing it to have an advantage over non-luxury Japanese brands, where the average per lineup is 15.7 percent.

Toyota also equips 27.5 percent of its vehicles with a pre-collision safety system, while the average for all Japanese non-luxury brands is 25 percent.

#12. GMC

GMC's safety offerings illustrate its high level of commitment to supplying safe vehicles, as 18.8 percent of its lineup earned a five-star overall safety rating, putting it right in line with the average for other American non-luxury brands.

Meanwhile, GMC offers head-up display in 18.8 percent of its models; only 2.5 percent of other American non-luxury brand lineups offer this feature.

#11. Ford

Over 19 percent of Ford’s lineup earned a five-star safety rating from the NHTSA. Adding to this is Ford's sizeable advantage over other American non-luxury brands: 4.3 percent of its vehicles earned the IIHS Top Safety Pick award while its competitors averaged 2.5 percent per lineup.

Moreover, more Ford vehicles come with adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring and rearview cameras than the competition. However, to its detriment, only 2.1 percent of Ford's models come with a pre-collision system, which is woefully short when compared to all non-luxury brands, where the average is 10.2 percent per brand lineup.

#10. Chevrolet

In total, 22.5 percent of Chevy's lineup earned a five-star overall NHTSA safety rating, giving it a slight edge on competitors like Ford.

Chevy shines with its post-collision system offerings, as 37.5 percent of its vehicles come equipped with this system — 23 percent of other American brand lineups come with a similar feature.

#9. Volvo

Volvo had 7.1 percent of its lineup earn the IIHS Top Safety Pick+ Rating, putting it among the best brands in this regard. Volvo stands apart from other brands by equipping more of its vehicles with adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, lane-departure warning and rearview cameras.

Its NTSA five-star average of 28.6 percent is over double the average for luxury brand lineups.

#8. Cadillac

For a luxury brand, Cadillac touts an array of safe vehicles, as 31.6 percent of its models earned a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA.

Compared to the 11.5 percent average for all luxury brands, Cadillac has a significant advantage in safety performance. Additionally, 26.3 percent of its vehicles come with a pre-collision safety system. By comparison, 11.8 percent of luxury brand models offer this.

#7. Kia

Nearly 5 percent of Kia’s vehicles have the IIHS Top Safety Rating whereas the average for all non-luxury brands is 3.3 percent. Adding to Kia’s favor is the fact it offers more vehicles with adaptive cruise control and head-up display than the average for its competition.

A high 33 percent of Kia's fleet received a five-star NHTSA overall rating.

#6. Lincoln

Over 8 percent of Lincoln’s vehicles have the Top Safety Pick Rating from the IIHS. This is an impressive achievement when you consider that, for all American luxury brands, the average is 3 percent per lineup.

Lincoln offers more safety equipment per model. As an illustration, 33.3 percent of its models come with blind-spot monitoring while the average is 16.9 percent for other luxury brands.

#5. Honda

Safety is an integral part of Honda’s design, resulting in 35.3 percent of its lineup earning a five-star NHTSA overall safety rating. What’s more, Honda is second among all brands for its IIHS Top Safety Pick Ratings, with 11.8 percent of its vehicles making the list.

Nearly 18 percent of Honda's vehicles come with blind-spot monitoring compared to the 10.4 percent average per lineup for other Japanese non-luxury brands.

#4. Subaru

Across the board, Subaru excels in safety accolades. Nearly 36 percent of its vehicles received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA, while 7.1 percent had the honor of gaining the IIHS Top Safety Pick+ Rating.

Furthermore, Subaru tops the charts for its percent of vehicles with the IIHS Top Safety Pick Rating, at 14.3 percent. On average Subaru equips 42.9 percent of its models with adaptive cruise control. By comparison, all non-luxury brands average 14.8 percent for this feature.

#3. Hyundai

Over 39 percent of Hyundai's lineup earned a five-star NHTSA overall safety rating. An area of improvement for Hyundai moving forward is increased adaptive cruise control. Currently, it equips just 7.1 percent of its models with this feature, equating to less than half the 14.8 percent average of all non-luxury brand lineups.

#2. Buick

Buick’s brand overhaul continues, as it’s second on the list with 50 percent of its models earning a five-star NHTSA overall rating. Buick equips 16.7 percent of its models with a pre-collision safety system, earning it an advantage over the 10.2 percent average for all non-luxury brands.

#1. Acura

Acura does a remarkable job developing vehicles with exceptional safety performance. Nearly 73 percent of its models have a five-star NHTSA overall safety rating, while 18.2 percent earned the IIHS Top Safety Pick+, making the brand the safest among vehicle manufacturers.

Review of the Safest Brands

Compare Automotive Brands on AxleGeeks

Cadillac CT6 First Impressions:  A Tight Fit

4/3/2015

 
PictureWatch those knees!
We spent some time in the last two days examining the much-publicized Cadillac CT6 and it seemed to make the biggest impression on our knees.  You see, with the driver's seat extended all the way back, it's hard for a six-footer to find room directly behind.  Unlike the luxury boat we expected, this big sedan is more of a cocoon for four passengers, in the style of the Porsche Panamera.  Luxury buyers who want capacity will likely not be pried away from the roomier, five-passenger Mercedes S-class, the CT6's prime target.

With that said, there is much to like about this car.  Fit and finish is superb and the sedan is another tribute to the craftsmanship of American workers.  The exterior design, while not groundbreaking, should give the Mercedes a run for its money on looks alone.  Weight has been reduced down to the level of a BMW 5-series, so the car should move quite well with its 400-horsepower twin-turbo V6.  But that depends on whether Mercedes buyers are willing to downgrade from the S's 449-horsepower twin-turbo V-8. 

Cadillac's interior designers have slathered the surfaces with leather exuding such a heavy smell that you feel like you're sitting inside a baseball glove.  And the genuine wood trim is so "natural," that Cadillac stopped sanding it to a point where you can feel some of the pits and grooves.  On the console, the wood's satin finish is unsuccessful, making it look more like the contact paper your mother used to buy in Woolworth's.  We may sound like fogeys here, but please, Cadillac, bring back the richer-looking shiny laquered veneer of old.

We wonder whether our tight fit is somehow symbolic of the way the CT6 is shoehorning itself into a very competitive luxury car market.  The real question is whether -- at an MSRP about $20K less -- the Cadillac can compete in the world of the S-class, which has used its advanced engineering to jump well ahead of the pack.  The New York Times raises some important questions in a recent story, noting that this is the most difficult and competitive time ever for the introduction of such a luxury car.  And the readers of The Times also note wisely that Cadillac is still a little behind the times in moving its headquarters to downtown New York, epicenter of the anti-car crowd.  We'll agree with that.  The brand's Soho-focused advertising is so, well, 20 years ago.   The cool people long ago left for Brooklyn, where the focus is more on consuming the latest artisanal mayonnaise than driving a big Caddy. 


But for those of you who still enjoy driving, we provide these photos of the new CT6:

<<Previous
    GALLERY >
    < HOME

    RSS Feed

    Author

    David Fluhrer has been a classic car columnist for Newsday since 2008, as well as a new car reviewer for the auto section and a feature writer for Newsday's glossy magazines, Luxury Living and Long Island Living. 

    Read His Columns
    You  can read some of his online columns here. 

    Submit a classic car to be profiled in David's Newsday column by visiting www.inthegarage.net. If you hail from the New York metropolitan area, you may also use this site to submit show or club information for publication.

    Submit News/Event Info
    Automotive and related organizations -- and their PR representatives -- may submit news for this page by sending it to us at [email protected] or through our contact page.

    ​Automotive Content/PR
    To learn more about ways we can provide you with customized automotive content and public relations services, please contact us.

    Archives

    June 2020
    September 2019
    November 2018
    June 2017
    May 2017
    January 2017
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    November 2015
    July 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014

    Categories

    All
    1SS
    2014
    2015
    2016
    2018
    2019
    2LT
    5-series
    Accord
    Acura
    Alfa
    Alfa Romeo
    Alltrack
    AMG
    Arab
    Aston Martin
    Audi
    Audi A3
    Autonomous Vehicles
    BMW
    BRZ
    Bugatti
    Buick
    C63 AMG
    Cadenza
    Cadillac
    Camaro
    Challenger
    Chevrolet
    Chevrolet Malibu
    Chevy
    Chrysler
    Chrysler 200
    Chrysler Fiat
    CLA250
    CLA45
    CLA45 AMG
    Clarity
    Clubman
    Concept
    Continental
    Convertible
    Corvette
    Crew Cab
    CT6
    CX-3
    CX-5
    Dealer Service
    Discovery
    Dodge
    Driverless Cars
    D-Type
    Dubai
    Elmiraj
    Escalade
    EVO
    Evolution
    FCA
    Ferrari
    Fiat
    Focus ST
    Ford
    Ford Fusion
    Forester
    FR-S
    F Type
    F-Type Project 7
    Galant
    Genesis
    GMC
    Golf
    Grand Sport
    GT-R
    Hellcat
    Honda
    Honda Accord
    Horsepower
    Hot Hatch
    Hybrid
    Hydrogen
    Hyundai
    Impreza
    Infiniti
    Jaguar
    Jeep
    John Cooper Works
    K900
    Kia
    Lamborghini
    Lancer
    Land Rover
    LC500h
    LeBron James
    Lexus
    Lexus LS
    Lincoln
    LTZ
    Mazda
    Mazda3
    Mazda5
    Mazda6
    Mazdaspeed
    Mazdaspeed3
    Mercedes
    Mercedes Benz
    Mercedes-Benz
    Mercedes CLA
    Miata
    MINI
    Mitsubishi
    Monticello Motor Club
    MPV
    Mustang
    MX-5
    New York International Auto Show
    Nissan
    Outback
    Pep Boys
    Plug-in
    Pocket Rocket
    Police
    Q60
    Renault
    RF
    Roadster
    RS
    RX-7
    S550
    S63
    Scenic
    Scion
    S-class
    Sedan
    Silverado
    SKYACTIV
    Smart
    Sorento
    SRT
    SRX
    STI
    Stingray
    Subaru
    Subaru Legacy
    Superleggera
    SVR
    Technology
    Tesla
    Toyota
    Truck
    Turbo 4
    Veyron
    Volkswagen
    Volvo
    Vsport
    WRX
    XLR
    Z/28
    ZL1

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.